The Somma-Vesuvio volcanic complex is considered one of the most threatening volcanoes in the world due to its violent explosive activity and the high number of people living at its feet. The volcano, which dominates the Neapolitan landscape, is mostly known for its great Plinian eruptions such as the catastrophic eruption of AD 79, which buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, although many other eruptions have occurred. On August 24, 79, Vesuvius literally exploded its summit, emitting tons of molten ashes, pumice and sulphurous gas in Vesuvius, the atmosphere. A "fire storm" of poisonous vapors and melted debris swallowed up the surrounding area, suffocating the inhabitants of the nearby Roman tourist cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia. Tons of falling debris filled the streets until nothing remained to be seen of once prosperous communities. The cities remained buried and undiscovered for almost 1700 years, until the excavations started in 1748. These excavations continue today and provide information on life during the Roman Empire. An ancient voice reaches out from the past to tell us about the disaster. This entry belongs to Pliny the Younger whose letters describe his experience during the eruption while he was in the house of his uncle, Pliny the Elder. The old Pliny was an official of the Roman court, responsible for the fleet in the area of the Gulf of Naples and a naturalist. The letters of Pliny the Younger were discovered in the 16th century.